Public input to the reopened Critical Area Plan at the Celery Fields

We last wrote to the Board requesting that citizens be included when the Board reopens the Critical Area Plan for the Celery Fields:

Yesterday came this reply from Jane Grogg of Planning:

Good afternoon, 

The Board direction was for staff to bring back a scope of work for amendment to the Critical Area Plan by January. If they decide to move forward, staff would perform the analysis and hold associated public workshop(s) before returning to the Board with the draft amendments. The Board would then have the option to authorize the amendment process for hearings at the Planning Commission and Board. Since this is an existing CAP, the boundaries of the CAP is have already been adopted.
Thank you,
Jane

Given the active and intense interest in our communities as to the fate of this area, and given that the county has not begun to provide the necessary support for its continued safe and protected existence as a bird sanctuary, public recreation space, and natural habitat for wildlife, we believe that our communities and the public in general have earned the right to play a real part in basic decision making that will result from reopening the CAP.

One key element of reopening the CAP is in fact the opportunity to take a new look at its boundaries. 

As this goes forward, the CAP can be modified to allow more robust roads, and therefore allow for industry. Or, it can be modified in accord with the values and vision of the community. Which way will our Board and staff go?

Thank you for your commitment to the welfare of our neighborhoods.

Email to Staff: Public Input on the CAP process for the Quad parcels

Email October 17, 2018

Dear Matt Osterhoudt and Jane Grogg,

On Sept. 12, 2018, the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners wisely decided that it was time to revisit the Critical Area Plan (CAP) for the Quad parcels near the Celery Fields in light of the current context and realities. 

This provides a long overdue opportunity to envision what is possible, rather than trying to adapt it to outdated planning decisions.

Before starting the CAP process, the BCC will first need to approve the boundaries (i.e. aerial extent) and criteria (plan tasks) at a public hearing. 

In advance of that hearing, it is appropriate for staff to proactively conduct public meeting(s) to solicit public input on the boundaries and criteria, much as was done at this stage of the Fruitville Initiative.

As the future of these public lands is of demonstrable public interest, please advise as to your timing, scope, and process.

Thank you,

Glenna Blomquist, Carlos Correa, Tom Matrullo, Gary Walsh

Executive Council, Fresh Start

Consultant recommends industry near Celery Fields

Quads

Earlier this year, Sarasota County hired a consultant to study the "highest and best use" for parcel #3 of the public lands near the Celery Fields known as "the Quads." That report is now in (link here) -- it recommends rezoning 7 acres of parcel #3 for industrial use:

Some preliminary observations:

Specialized Approach: The $61,000 report from Miami-based Lambert Advisory LLC follows a specialized "highest and best use" (HBU) approach, which looks at real estate comparables solely to form an estimate of highest potential dollar value. By design HBU ignores quality of life, community benefit, impacts on the environment, potential social or economic gains from other uses, and basically everything other than top-dollar price for this public land.

Siloed Consultancy: Since January, Fresh Start repeatedly asked to communicate with the consultant. We were told that at the County’s direction, the Consultant was to work walled off from residents or anyone else, to “limit the influences on the data.”

Fiscal Motive Evaporates: Last November, the Commission cited a need to sell public lands to cover a temporary budget shortfall as the compelling reason for this rezoning. Since then the Board has revised its view. Commissioner Maio now says the county is in excellent fiscal health and that there is "no shortfall" this year or next (audio clip: longer; shorter). 

Warehouse south of parcel 2

Dominoes: Rezoning parcel #3 to industrial is not only about parcel #3. IF/when that rezoning is complete, the southwest parcel (#2) will be surrounded on three sides by industry (Parcel #3 to the north, James Gabbert's planned waste transfer station to the west, and Robert Waechter's warehouses immediately to the south). Private industrial interests will use this "enveloping zoning" to argue for making parcel #2  industrial. (Parcel #2 is the 10.6 acres Mr. Gabbert wished to situate a giant open waste processing facility on last year.)

Fresh Start will present a very different vision of the prospects for the Quad parcels to the commissioners next Wednesday, Sept. 12 at approximately 9:30 a.m. As it is not a public hearing, input from the public will be limited to 3 minutes before or after the Agenda.

The Fresh Start Executive Council

Have you signed our petition opposing industry at the Celery Fields?

On the Anniversary of the Gabbert Hearing

August 23 marks exactly one year since hundreds of Sarasota residents came out to oppose an incomprehensible proposal -- a developer seeking to operate a giant open-air industrial waste processing facility on public land at Apex Road and Palmer Blvd., a short walk from the Celery Fields bird sanctuary, wetlands, and recreation area.

Had the Board's 3-2 vote gone the other way, we might now be seeing diesel trucks on Palmer Blvd and Apex Road, coming and leaving a 16-acre construction debris and yard waste pulverizing operation on parcel #2. (Video: Gabbert hearing) Mr. Gabbert still has Board approval for a 6-acre waste transfer station at Porter and Palmer.

Last November, a group of citizens organized a coalition of neighborhoods to come up with a better idea for the Quad parcels. Fresh Start consulted the community as well as local experts, researching alternatives to selling the lands for industrial uses. The group received many ideas and conceptual proposals -- a final four were presented to the Board on July 11, 2018. All results were contained in the Fresh Start report handed in that day.

Fresh Start now has a Sept. 12th date to meet publicly with the Board. With hopes for a good decision the group will make a presentation, but is also grappling with the fact that since handing in its report, there has been no communication, no directed action, in response to our citizens' proposals. So far, Fresh Start has done all the talking. Will they find Board support? Or will each proposal in turn be weighed, found wanting, and dismissed?

We'd like to hear your thoughts -- here are some of ours: Regardless of the Board's view of any or all of our community proposals, our commitment and vision have one overriding purpose: to remove the Quad parcels from the County's surplus lands list.

So our position today is the same as it was a year ago: The Celery Fields is too valuable, too unique, too beautiful a natural treasure to degrade with industry. There's no reason to sell any of these 30 acres to a private developer when so much East Sarasota open land -- upwards of 20,000 acres at last count -- has recently been approved for private gated communities.

Before turning rural lands into sprawling housing projects, the County needs to think about the public's right to breathe clean air, travel safe roads, have police, fire and school resources at hand, and public spaces to gather, play sports, practice hobbies, and share and learn from each other -- in short, to exist as a community. The public lands at Apex and Palmer can and should be dedicated to community-oriented uses, and that's what we'll say -- with some new data and images -- in a few weeks to the Board.

So please join us Sept. 12 if you can. We'll let you know the time as soon as we know.

Meanwhile, please sign and share our Petition --- it's got hundreds of comments from those who've already signed.

Public Vision for our Public Lands at the Celery Fields

 Common Sense to Protect our Celery Fields

Herald Tribune

Petition to protect the Celery Fields

This August 23rd will make a full year since the people showed up en masse to oppose the sale of public land for a 16-acre demolition waste facility to James Gabbert. The overwhelming public presence of the community, the many hours of sincere, unscripted testimony from a wide range of residents added up to a win: the Board voted 3-2 to deny Mr. Gabbert his waste plant

By law, no developer could return to seek to rezone our public parcel for one year. But after August 23, anyone can, because in the past year, the Board has made no change in the rules governing public parcel #2, which Mr. Gabbert wanted. Despite clear evidence of the community's will and growing awareness of the profound changes that have occurred (and they've only begun) in East County, the pubic parcels at the Celery Fields are still subject to the same land uses they were given in 1983.

After August 23, there is no guarantee that Mr. Gabbert or another industrial developer won't pay his fee and seek approval for industry served by diesel trucks within a short walk from our pristine Celery Fields bird sanctuary and recreation area. One commissioner has indicated he thinks industry makes sense at this Gateway to East County, where new homes are coming on the market daily.

For this reason, we ask you to take a moment to sign our petition urging the Board to revamp the zoning of this environmentally sensitive area with a vision for the greater good:

Sarasota County: We urge you to acknowledge this rare opportunity for public good. Do NOT sell our public lands to private developers. Protect and enhance the Celery Fields Area for all the people of Sarasota.

Thank you for remaining true to the Celery Fields.

An interim update

Quad Parcels 1,2,3

This is a preview of the Updated Report that Fresh Start will submit to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners in mid-July, before they take their holiday break. We look forward to a public hearing after the Board return in late August or early September.

Since our April 25th report, we have deepened and refined our proposals, in particular the YMCA proposal which gained the highest level of support -- 84% -- from our community.

So here in brief is where we are:

Thanks to our HOAs who responded to our Neighborhood Survey on publicly accessible athletic facilities, we were able to visualize what East County athletic resources our HOAs currently have available to them -- virtually none. That large red oval contains no public athletic fields or sports courts. 

If you live on East Palmer Blvd., you are looking at drives of up to 9 or more miles to public athletic fields, tennis, basketball or pickleball courts, most of which are west of the Interstate.

East County neighborhoods 

The need for sports-related resources will grow more acute as the area grows. Parcel #2, with 10.6 acres of public property, seems an excellent option for a YMCA. We think the location makes sense for many reasons - including the educative potential of being near the Celery Fields. To quote from our report-in-progress:

At the Celery Fields, the Sarasota Y could offer a rich array of children’s programs making great use of the natural treasures right next door. Think of kids birding with Audubon volunteers, and fishing, hiking, and kayaking with YMCA leaders. A YMCA at the Celery Fields would amplify the range and richness of what our community’s seniors and children can experience. 

There's another element in the image shown above: The names "Hi Hat Ranch" and "Lindvest." These are but two of several large-scale housing tracts either underway, or with plans for approval -- they include Waterside, LT Ranch, Grand Lakes, as well as Hi Hat and Lindvest. These five projects (plenty more are coming) total over 27,000 units of housing on more than 20,000 acres of East Sarasota, stretching from University Parkway to SR 681 near Venice. (More details here.)

It seems reasonable that the County would see the need to plan long-range for the roads, services, and amenities all those new residents will need. Fresh Start's proposals for the Quad parcels offer a good start.

Perhaps there's a larger principle to affirm here:

We take this opportunity to assert the public’s right to a vision that balances private development with public needs. 

What do you think?

Just on the practical level of parcel #2 (parcel #1 is off the surplus list, and our proposals for it remain in place), when you take the amazing changes that have occurred in our area in the past 20 years, and add in those that are coming, the Board is facing a simple choice: 

Community asset . . . or Industrial Blight

THIS . . .

or THIS?

We intend to file our Update on July 11, but without a public presentation that day.

Please feel free to share your thoughts between now and then with us at FreshStartSarasota@gmail.com. When a public hearing is scheduled, we'll be in touch.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

The Fresh Start Executive Council

Recreational Availability East of I-75: A Survey

The Fresh Start Initiative has received several informed and detailed responses to our mini-survey about recreational facilities for our HOA base -- thank you!

We have set a deadline of June 5, and we'd like to gather as many as possible. 

Update: It's been noted that while Tatum Ridge Elementary School has soccer fields, these are run by parks and serve programmed leagues, but otherwise are closed to the public. Therefore we've added "publicly accessible" to our survey questions - as in, accessible to the public.

Some influential industrial owners say the County should rezone the Quad parcels to ILW - Industrial, Light Manufacturing, and Warehousing. 

In response, Fresh Start has sent a letter to the County opposing that argument. The more data supporting the need and wish for community-friendly uses we have, the better. 

So here's the survey again - thanks for your help -- respond to FreshStartSarasota@gmail.com

Name of your HOA _________________

Does your community contain sports facilities within its boundaries?

If yes,

• indoor - sq. feet
• outdoor - fields? playgrounds?

If no,

• What is the distance to the nearest publicly accessible recreational facility for indoor sports?
• What's the distance to the nearest publicly accessible outdoor area for ball fields, football, track, etc.?

A tale of two updates

The Fresh Start Initiative presented to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners community-based proposals and for public lands at the Celery Fields as well as a broader vision for the Celery Fields area that came out of five months of discussions, panels, interviews, and a round table process (all documented on this blog).

Below a slide shows possible enhancements to the area, including a footbridge linking the public parcel #1 with the Celery Fields wetlands. Also a tourist center and a parking area, all from the April 25 power point presentation to the Board.

Also on April 25, 2018, James Gabbert resubmitted his proposal for a waste transfer station on 6 acres adjacent to public parcel #2, at Porter Rd. and Palmer Blvd.

Waste transfer station stock image

Gabbert's proposed demolition waste facility for the whole of parcel #2 last year triggered an uproar among Sarasota residents and visitors who opposed placing a dump on public land near the Celery Fields. (Timeline)

How to site a Waste Transfer Facility (EPA)

Fresh Start thanks its advisory panel, HOA presidents and signatories, delegates, and all who helped develop and refine community-based proposals as well as a larger, unifying vision for the Celery Fields area.